England pick up pace

Hockey

reports from Dublin

England 3 Poland 1

England won their second game in the European Championship here yesterday to head their pool, beating a resolute Polish side.

England took the lead in the 16th minute, when Calum Giles converted their first penalty corner.

In a rare Polish raid three minutes from the interval Julian Halls conceded a penalty corner, but goalkeeper Simon Mason made a brilliant save. England then scored a second goal, Ben Sharpe and Rob Thompson setting up Nick Thompson.

Although the Poles converted a second-half penalty corner, England put the game beyond doubt with four minutes remaining with another goal by Nick Thompson.

ENGLAND: S Mason (Firebrands); P McGuire (Teddington), J Halls (Old Loughtonians); S Hazlitt (Hounslow), Soma Singh (Southgate, capt), R Garcia (Polo Barcelona); C Mayer (Cannock), J Shaw (Southgate), R Thompson (Hounslow), J Laslett (Teddington), N Thompson (Old Loughtonians). Substitutes used: C Giles (Havant), B Sharpe (Cannock), Kalbir Takher (Cannock).

POLAND: M Pobuta; S Lukaszewski (capt); M Matuszynski, P Jakubiak, J Adrian, T Szmidt; M Nyckowiak, P Adrian, G Orendasz; K Wybieralski, R Grzeszczak. Substitutes used: P Mikula, T Spalek, Z Jusezak, R Grotowski.

Umpires: E Ruiz (Argentina), T Langle (France).